Differences
by endlesshills
Summary: After Percy and Annabeth's wedding, Poseidon and Athena see if they can work out their own differences. Pothena One Shot


**Differences**

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A large, beautiful garden was filled with hundreds of people.

When I say garden, I mean to imply that the field was a few acres wide, with lush grass and strawberry fields surrounding the area. This was no illusion of grandeur - it was grand. Beautiful Greek and Roman architecture surrounded the area, and every single object in the room was placed with a degree of accuracy that you could suggest would've taken hours to get a look this perfect. From the Athena Parthenon to the smallest white rose, everything was in place.

When I say people, I mean to imply a group of deities and entities all sharing a moment. Mortals made up some of the crowd; Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Sally Jackson were sat among the front seats. There were others dotted here and there. The majority of the crowd were half mortals. Demigods, as their names implied, were half God. They were filling the pristine white rows of chairs and benches, sitting in silence, waiting in suspense. The most famous of all Demigods were standing next to the groom and opposite the space the bride should've been. Some of the renowned Seven were crying; Piper McLean and Hazel Levesque certainly were, with tears streaming down their faces. Others, like Nico Di Angelo and Jason looked incredibly proud.

There were also the non-humans in the crowd; Grover Underwood, the Satyr, who was acting best man was next to his oldest friend. Juniper, his tree nymph love was in the line of Bridesmaids.

And the Gods. The 12 Olympians, Hades, Hestia, and countless other minor beings were all in attendance. In this tense moment of patience, no one seemed to notice the silent conversation two Gods in particular were having. The two, sitting opposite each other, right behind where the bride and groom would be wed.

Athena bore evil eyes into Poseidon.

 _"I can't believe you allowed this to happen."_ Her furrowed eyebrows conveyed the general meaning of the sentence.

The Earthshaker simply shrugged. _"I accept this relationship."_ Athena's eyes studied the Sea God. He had a temper not to be messed with, Gods knows he could bring unrelenting destruction upon those that seek his wrath. However, recently his rage had been calmed, if only for a while. She was trying so hard to understand. Why would he be okay with his spawn and her precious daughter being together in matrimony?

She lifted one eyebrow in a look of questioning. _"What about us?"_ Her expression stated.

His face furrowed into confusion and a slight suspicion. _"What_ _**about**_ _us?"_ He seemed to say back.

Of course, neither would know if they had gotten the right thought; conversations without words could go perfectly right or horribly wrong.

Athena was about to answer with a concerned expression when she was cut off by music.

Fredrick Chase stepped onto the red carpet that had been laid out over the soft grass. The sun was especially bright today; Apollo had made sure of it. Any wedding he was going to be priest at had to have good weather.

Linking arms with the old professor was Annabeth Chase, dressed in her white wedding gown. Two small flower girls from the Athena cabin followed her. Percy Jackson turned to face his bride and had a tear run down his face.

Everyone seemed be paying the utmost attention to the ceremony, apart from the two arguing Gods the front. Both seemed to be lost in thought.

The ceremony passed quickly. However, both Gods snapped to attention at a certain point.

"I love you, Seaweed Brain."

"I love you, Wise Girl."

"You may now kiss the bride!" Apollo laughed.

And like that, the legendary Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase were now Mr and Mrs Jackson. The celebrations began and the noise was deafening. Hundreds of people began dancing out of the wedding area to the open bar provided by Dionysus. The Goddess of Wisdom stayed seated however. She watched as Poseidon congratulated the couple, the last person to watch them leave as well. Percy lifted Annabeth bridal style (appropriately) and sprinted down the aisle in the direction of his friends. Poseidon was stood facing Athena, who was still sat down, until everyone else in Camp Half-Blood disappeared from sight.

They were both silent, and studying each other intently.

"It has been an eon since I have seen true romance." Poseidon spoke, somewhat sombrely.

"Aphrodite may disagree with that." Athena stood. She looked the God in his eyes.

He ignored her. "I have never felt the love those two share. It rolls off of them in waves."

"A sea pun." A rueful grin appeared across the man's face.

"Damn. I thought you wouldn't notice."

"You're married." She ignored him this time.

"For peace. Amphitrite is a close friend, but her and I...never lovers. We both know this." A small pause in their conversation, until the Goddess of Wisdom decided to speak again.

"Salt Shaker." Athena tested him.

"Owl Head." Poseidon teased her back.

"We are just like them." Athena's voice was slightly hoarse. "Don't you see?" There was almost a silent plead behind her words. _Please see._

A few seconds passed as Poseidon seemed to be captivated by thought. "Of course I see."

"Why do we hate each other, and why do they love each other then, Poseidon?" The question seemed to catch him off guard.

"The Wisdom Goddess is asking I, Fish Fingers a question?"

"I feel clueless." Poseidon turned to look at her. Her eyes were just a reflection of naïveté.

"I don't hate you. I couldn't," Her eyebrows came closer together in confusion. "Ever." The last part was so quiet, hidden under his breath, as though maybe the Goddess wasn't supposed to hear him. Athena noticed how close they had become. Their noses were just inches from each other. "I antagonised you as a distraction. They are fine." Pointing his head in the direction that which Annabeth and Percy had left. "We are not."

"Why?" She sounded angry.

"You should know," He replied calmly. "Zeus knows I have spent centuries trying to understand."

"Tell me." She demanded.

"I am married; despite what I have explained, I am still bound to Amphitrite." He explained carefully, choosing his words one by one.

"You know - we know that isn't the real answer." She felt unsatisfied.

"You're a pure Goddess." His gaze shifted away from her, slightly uncomfortable.

"Maybe I am waiting." He shot her a look, a ' _Really?'_ that was half hopeful and half sarcastic.

"We have a millennia of bad blood."

"Ichor." She pointed out dryly.

"Athens. I am still upset about Athens." Although his tone didn't seem truthful.

"Are you really though?" He shook his head slightly.

"No. I am not." He admittedly guiltily.

"And Medusa?" She countered.

"I was looking for you. Medusa caught me at a time of weakness...and I never had the greatest resistance to beautiful women. It was a true regret." He paused. "She was innocent, Athena. Why did you lash out, and not punish me? Hate me?" The tables seemingly had turned. He was pressing her, and she seemed to already have the answer.

"I could never hate you." She repeated his words back to him breathlessly. Strange, since Olympians didn't technically have to breathe. Athena closed the gap between them, now a literal inch away from each other. She scanned his expression and glanced down at his lips.

"You are my brother's daughter. My niece." Poseidon's tone seemed to get more desperate, to cling onto anything, or any reason.

"You and I both know that means nothing. Olympians have no DNA." Poseidon stayed silent. "Do you even know what DNA stands for?!" She asked slightly miffed.

"National Dyslexic Association." Poseidon whispered, remembering the joke Percy had told him long ago. A smile crept up on his face while Athena, in his opinion, looked very cute trying not to laugh and stay angry. He chuckled slightly, and tucked a piece of dark hair that had fallen on her face behind her ear. A light blush had befallen on her face.

A concerned look passed over Poseidon's face.

"It is wrong, Athena, and you know it."

"Then why does it feel...feel so..." She couldn't finish her sentence. She was blushing furiously, staring hard at the ground and refusing to meet the man's eyes. She felt like one of Aphrodite's cursed women.

A long moment of silence passed.

"There is a thin line between love and hate." Her ears perked up at his voice. "But I could never hate you. So where does that leave me?" Grey eyes met sea green.

He placed his hand on her chin, and pecked her softly on the lips. She reciprocated, and suddenly an entire history's worth of pain and anguish seemed to pass.

They separated. Both trying to read something - anything off of the other. Analysing each other.

A bright light appeared, and the two separated instantly.

"Poseidon? Why are you here with my daughter?" Zeus pointed accusingly.

A short second passed where tension was rising between the three.

"Me and Owl Head here were arguing about whether or not the Jacksons receive a big swimming pool in their beautiful new house."

"First of all, it's Owl Head and I. Secondly, Fish Fingers, there's no way! There is not enough room if we want the library."

"Pool!"

"Library!"

"Pool!"

"Library!"

"Do two you ever change? Anyways, you two, hurry up, there's shots going round." And with that, the Sky God clicked his fingers and disappeared.

The pressure in the room eased so much that Poseidon accidentally made one of the fountains explode with relief.

"My bad." They both took a deep breath. "Can we have both a pool and library?"

"Yes, if the pool is outside." Athena punched him in the arm and walked away.

"Where are you going?"

"Didn't you hear, Salt Shaker? There's shots!" She laughed and motioned for him to follow. They both walked beside each other. Poseidon stopped and took Athena's hand in his own, gave a light squeeze before disappearing in a flash of light.

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